Today I have learned a valuable lesson. When a friend asks you to tell them the truth, they really want a lie. They desire to hear what they want to hear and pretend it is the truth. And if you give into the lie then correct yourself later, the lie will be held against you. There is no safe harbor. It is a double-edged sword.
And this applies to the majority of people, moi included. However, I am working to change that vile part of myself. I say tell the truth all the time when asked. Sparing someone’s feelings is done through tact not lies. But make sure that the meaning is understood.
Honestly, if you don’t really what to hear what someone honestly thinks, don’t ask. Remember even paranoid people occasionally have someone following them. If your gut tells you something is wrong with a scenario, rely on that not the opinions of your friends, family, and co-workers. You decide for yourself what something is and, again tactfully, test the theory. There are ways of finding out truth without relying on someone else’s honest.
And don’t count on someone telling you the truth. People, in general, are scum as well as sheep. If a person thinks that there is no way you will actually find out the truth, that person will fib their heads off.
A few months back, I told some pests exactly what I thought of them. Additionally, I avoided them like the plague when an event brought them out. I made no bones about not wanting to talk to them. I thought it was better to avoid them all together instead of yelling at them, or at the very least, being snarky in front of a bunch of kids.
To my chagrin others in my group were nice and welcoming to them after reassuring me that they felt the same way. Now, the new president of our club has extended an open invitation to them after they were evicted from the club for lack of paying dues. Apparently there is a movement to try to force me out. And yet no one has said one word to me. They’ve all been exceedingly nice to my face and not one private message has been delivered.
But they don’t understand something. I understand the silent treatment. No need for me to hang around. And that street runs both ways. In light of the evidence that these people don’t want to hear the truth and would rather humiliate others behind their backs, I don’t think this is the group for me. So I bid a not-so-fond farewell, albeit in a forum that none of them will read. Feel free to breathe a sigh of relief and talk about how much a bitch I was. The words only reflect back on you.